Tag: conference education


Five Super Effervescent Sparkling Fresh Conference Education Ideas

As a conference organizer, do you replicate last year’s conference schedule and experience and just change the filling? Or do you mix it up? Constantly looking for new ways to freshen up the attendee’s conference experience. The best conference organizers proactively seek fresh, new ideas to implement at their next annual meeting. They work hard … [Read more…]

Your Conference Is Offering Learning Scrap That Is Not Even Worth Recycling

Your conference and association value proposition is under attack! Education and networking are two benefits of conference attendance and association membership. Yet, education is being disrupted in major ways. When employees spend too much time in education offerings that do not translate into increased performance and productivity, it is learning scrap. It’s wasted information, knowledge … [Read more…]

We Are Drawn To Effortless Education Which Results In Temporary, Fleeting Illusions Of Grandeur

There are no shortcuts to learning. Yet, we believe there are. We rush to see the top 20 tips in 60 minutes. Or the six best pointers an expert has learned from their own success. Our brains love lists. And our brains will take the easy route to alleged learning anytime. The Illusion Of Knowing … [Read more…]

You Need To Move The Finish Line For Your Learning Participants

We are sending the wrong message with the majority of our organization’s learning opportunities. Our programs often end with a certificate of completion, CEU credit or some type of recognition. It implies that the learner is done. The learner has arrived. That learners have completed all that is required of them. The Real Work The … [Read more…]

Changes In The Information Cycle Are Driving Conference Education Reform

Conferences (and associations) used to be the go-to source for information and content about a profession or industry. Today, the tools of content creation and distribution actually rest in the hands of individuals. Anyone can create and share content. While not everyone wants to be a content creator, everyone has an interest in organizing and … [Read more…]

Most Association And Conference Beliefs About Attendee Learning Are Wasted Efforts

The empirical research on how we learn and remember shows that… …Most of what we know as truth about learning is nothing more than wasted effort! The learning opportunities that we offer to our customers and members are based on outdated theory, lore, past experiences and gut instincts. And the empirical evidence says much of … [Read more…]

Conferences Are Providing Inferior Education Through Lectures

Conferences are providing inferior education if all they provide is didactic, presenter monologue lectures. Yes, that’s right. The speaker lecture is ineffective and inferior! If all your attendees do is sit and listen passively to speakers, you’re providing bad conference education! At least that’s what 2001 Physics Nobel Prize recipient, Stanford professor and former director … [Read more…]

15 Myths We Hold As Truths About Conference Education

We all believe in myths. Some of us don’t know that our own personal beliefs are actually based on fiction. Some of us hold on to our own personal experiences as supporting evidence of our beliefs. We don’t realize that our realities are often grounded in confirmation bias. We fail prey to the adage, “But … [Read more…]

Conference Execution As Attendee Learning

Most conference organizers believe that the delivery of information in an efficient, timely, productive manner is the key to attendee satisfaction, success and financial stability. We focus primarily on the efficient execution of delivery of content. But in today’s knowledge economy, that is not enough. The focus on controlling information flow, creating a one-way and … [Read more…]

Bringing Authentic Conference Conversations To Life

Peer conversations are more important to your conference than you know. I’m not talking about one of your attendees serving as a speaker talking at the audience. That’s a lecture. I’m referring to peer conversations in pairs, threesomes and small groups. You know when it’s happening at conferences because the rooms are buzzing with discussions. … [Read more…]